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Keane: I'll not lose sleep over FA charge

Posted: Friday August 30, 2002 8:22 PM

LONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Manchester United captain Roy Keane says he will not lose any sleep if he is charged by the Football Association (FA) with bringing the game into disrepute.

The former Ireland midfielder sparked controversy with comments from his forthcoming autobiography, serialised in a British newspaper, that he deliberately fouled Manchester City's Alf Inge Haaland in a premier league match in April 2001.

"I gave an honest account," Keane told British newspapers on Saturday. "If I am to be charged, or whatever might happen, I will face those charges if and when they come. But I'm not losing any sleep.

"I have been asked for a number of years to do the book and I thought this was the right time. I have read plenty of other books and thought most were pretty rubbish," added Keane.

"There was no point doing it if I was going to say 'He's a jolly good fellow' and 'That was an accident'.

"For this one I have been totally up front, maybe too up front, and that is why the trouble has come. But so what."

Keane faces legal action from Norwegian Haaland and City and the FA has said it would not shy away from punishing United's skipper if it decided his comments brought the game into disrepute, but was waiting until it had read the book in full.

Earlier this week, FA chief executive Adam Crozier said: "We have spoken to both Manchester City and Manchester United over the past few days and some time ago we wrote to Roy, asking him for his observations as well.

"He was given the normal, fair 14 days to reply to that -- which is due up at the beginning of next week. As soon as we have got that, having now read the book and looked at everything, we will make a decision."

Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.

 


 
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